**Official** New Zealand v Australia

[Sir Redman]

Well we'll take the draw but we can take zero credit for it. It was a rather spineless performance and to be perfectly honest it would be a gross injustice if we end up drawing the series.
Not that I'd be complaining of course

 

[Sir Redman]

In regard to whether Bond will be recalled I dont think it would be a good idea. I can easily see Bond getting frustrated at how crap our bowling is...leading to him trying extra hard to get wickets...so reverting back to his old action...and snap goes the back.

 

[thierry henry]

It was well and truly out. If you want to be really nitpicky, sure you can go for the height - but the fact of the matter is, there was no doubt it was hitting.

ummm, he was struck very high, hence it was very questionable whether or not the ball would have hit. Both the front on and side on views were far from clearcut. You have a strange definition of facts.

 

[Sir Redman]

About the NZ team - Astle is completely safe I think. Everyone seems to say he hasn't scored anything since his return, but that's not completely true. He has averaged 29.21 since then which is not good by any stretch of the imagination, but its better than most of our batsmen.
Since 1st Test v England: 64, 49, 2, 8, 15, 0, 11, 39, 19, 17, 52, 38, 74, 21.

His last 4 scores there (all against Aus) show hes coming into some form.

I'm more concerned about McCullum. He seems to have made a whole heap of technical changes for some reason (e.g. opening his stance more, and shuffling down the pitch), and he hasnt scored any runs since that hundred. I think the main problem is in his head though. He doesnt seem to have any motivation to stay at the crease and grind it out - look at how many 20s hes got this tour. Part of the problem may be that there is no competition for his spot. Against SA and England he had to proove that his elavation over Hart was the right decision and as a result scored some good runs. Since then he knows no-one is close to him and seems to have slacked off a little.

 

[The Maestro]

ummm, he was struck very high, hence it was very questionable whether or not the ball would have hit. Both the front on and side on views were far from clearcut. You have a strange definition of facts.

Its not his fault.....he's Australian. They are used to those decisions going their way

smirk

 

[thierry henry]

I'm more concerned about McCullum. He seems to have made a whole heap of technical changes for some reason (e.g. opening his stance more, and shuffling down the pitch), and he hasnt scored any runs since that hundred. I think the main problem is in his head though. He doesnt seem to have any motivation to stay at the crease and grind it out - look at how many 20s hes got this tour. Part of the problem may be that there is no competition for his spot. Against SA and England he had to proove that his elavation over Hart was the right decision and as a result scored some good runs. Since then he knows no-one is close to him and seems to have slacked off a little.

I agree. It seems like everywhere I look this season NZ fans are full of praise for McCullum and going on about how good he is. Now don't get me wrong, because McCullum is quite possibly my favourite Black Cap, but I think this has been a very disappointing summer for him. This was supposed to be the summer where he cemented his spot in the NZ side and as one of our best youngsters in many years, and it just hasn't happened. He hasn't scored runs. I hope he has a big score in him for one of the next 3 tests.

 

[Craig]

What a pathetic showing by New Zealand.

Once again they the moment slip, lack the ability to finish off Australia when NZ have themselves in a good position, never drop Gilchrsit Hamish, Gilchrist goes out and shows he is up with the all-time great wicket keeper bats of all time (his record proves it, he has averaged 50 through his whole career and has played enough match turning innings), bowling first to Australia is one of the dumbest idea's in cricket, when was the last time it worked? 2001 or 2002 I believe (in a Test), if Bracewell was coaching any other cricket team, he probably would have been fired by now and if he were a Sout hAmerican soccer coach he would have been sacked 8 times by now, New Zealand's next tier is rubbish, this shows New Zealand miss Jacob Oram and to an extent Shane Bond (although he has been out for basically two years).

There I have said my bit.

 

[cameeel]

cut bracewell some slack, is it him or his players that lack motivation

 

[marc71178]

Are you referring to any incident in particular, or (more likely) just going an a cliched, vitriolic diatribe?

The latter more than likely.

 

[marc71178]

It's fairly obvious that we're starting to get flaming in this thread.

Mores the pity - thankfully the majority of posters don't go in for the sensationalist nonsense.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Too many to choose from........

Hey Mr Baboon your big words dont impress me so lets just stick to cricket K?

Ever seen an Aussie sawn off a la McCullums gigantic inside edge in the recent ODI series in Aussie?

didnt think so.......

Yes. Martyn in the first test.

The decisions so far in the test series have been almost flawless, but the bad decisions have mostly gone in favour of New Zealand. The two that spring to mind are Martyn's lbw off an inside edge and Fleming's "not out" lbw on the first ball of day 4 in the first test. Vettori got a questionable lbw in the first test as well. So that's 2-1...

Nothing I could complain about in this test so far on either side. As Casson said, do you have anything specific to actually complain about, or are you just spewing the usual dribble?

 

[Craig]

cut bracewell some slack, is it him or his players that lack motivation

And the world of professionial sport, the caoch (ie Bracewell) is usually the first to go.

 

[Somerset]

About the NZ team - Astle is completely safe I think. Everyone seems to say he hasn't scored anything since his return, but that's not completely true. He has averaged 29.21 since then which is not good by any stretch of the imagination, but its better than most of our batsmen.
Since 1st Test v England: 64, 49, 2, 8, 15, 0, 11, 39, 19, 17, 52, 38, 74, 21.

His last 4 scores there (all against Aus) show hes coming into some form...

Very interesting sequence for Nathan Astle, at least the last four against Australia have produced scores of at least 20, two of which were converted into fifties. And there is absolutely no way he'll be dropped from the side, unless he suffers an injury. His experience is invaluable and unlike McMillan, can score consistently, albeit not century after century, against the Australians.

 

[Somerset]

Yes. Martyn in the first test.

The decisions so far in the test series have been almost flawless, but the bad decisions have mostly gone in favour of New Zealand. The two that spring to mind are Martyn's lbw off an inside edge and Fleming's "not out" lbw on the first ball of day 4 in the first test. Vettori got a questionable lbw in the first test as well. So that's 2-1...

Nothing I could complain about in this test so far on either side. As Casson said, do you have anything specific to actually complain about, or are you just spewing the usual dribble?

Michael Clarke also dismissed Lou Vincent to a very questionable LBW, almost as bad as Martyn's TBH, but on the whole, the umpiring has been consistent during the test series and I have no major complaints. Just a shame I couldn't have said the same about the ODI series, but that's in the past now.

 

[Somerset]

What a pathetic showing by New Zealand.

Once again they the moment slip, lack the ability to finish off Australia when NZ have themselves in a good position, never drop Gilchrsit Hamish, Gilchrist goes out and shows he is up with the all-time great wicket keeper bats of all time (his record proves it, he has averaged 50 through his whole career and has played enough match turning innings), bowling first to Australia is one of the dumbest idea's in cricket, when was the last time it worked? 2001 or 2002 I believe (in a Test), if Bracewell was coaching any other cricket team, he probably would have been fired by now and if he were a Sout hAmerican soccer coach he would have been sacked 8 times by now, New Zealand's next tier is rubbish, this shows New Zealand miss Jacob Oram and to an extent Shane Bond (although he has been out for basically two years).

There I have said my bit.

Well Gilchrist was lucky, there's no denying that, but if Hamish Marshall had taken the catch it would've been classed as one of the best of the season so I wouldn't be so harsh on him. The edges from Langer in the opening half hour which should've seen him dismissed on numerous occasions were just as important IMO.

I agree with our depth - but it's not just Oram and Bond missing, Styris is injured too, while we're missing Tuffey through bad form and of course Cairns, who even in this series would've made a huge difference. Those are five crucial players IMO - I accept that there is no chance of seeing Cairns in the whites again - but the remaning four would certainly have provided a far more competitive and entertaining series if they were fit or able to bowl straight.

 

[Blaze]

Yes. Martyn in the first test.

The decisions so far in the test series have been almost flawless, but the bad decisions have mostly gone in favour of New Zealand. The two that spring to mind are Martyn's lbw off an inside edge and Fleming's "not out" lbw on the first ball of day 4 in the first test. Vettori got a questionable lbw in the first test as well. So that's 2-1...

Nothing I could complain about in this test so far on either side. As Casson said, do you have anything specific to actually complain about, or are you just spewing the usual dribble?

Flemings LBW in the first innings wasn't out but i agree the decisions have been very even

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Michael Clarke also dismissed Lou Vincent to a very questionable LBW, almost as bad as Martyn's TBH, but on the whole, the umpiring has been consistent during the test series and I have no major complaints. Just a shame I couldn't have said the same about the ODI series, but that's in the past now.

Yep fair enough. That wasn't an absolute shocker in my book, but it probably should have been given not out. That's 2-2... any others from anyone?

I think the umpiring has been top notch personally, and I thought that although it wasn't great in the ODI series that it wasn't particularly slanted one way or the other. Most of the average decisions at the start went against New Zealand, and it came back a bit the other way at the end. Perhaps slightly in Australia's favour overall. Ideally though there would be few bad decisions in either direction over the course of a series, and the test series overall has been pretty good so far. And despite the big numbers, very one of the seven LBWs in the third innings in Christchurch were plumb, aside from Vettori. I think most reasonable NZ fans would agree with that.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Flemings LBW in the first innings wasn't out but i agree the decisions have been very even

I thought that was a good decision personally. Batsmen are always afforded less benefit of the doubt if they don't play a shot, and I think it would have hit. A bit like the decision that Langer got in India that a lot of people complained about.

 

[_Ed_]

And despite the big numbers, very one of the seven LBWs in the third innings in Christchurch were plumb, aside from Vettori. I think most reasonable NZ fans would agree with that.

Most of them definitely, but I think McCullum's one was going down leg side.

 

[Blaze]

I thought that was a good decision personally. Batsmen are always afforded less benefit of the doubt if they don't play a shot, and I think it would have hit. A bit like the decision that Langer got in India that a lot of people complained about.

I spose there is nothing i can say to change ur opinion but for me it was missing the stumps and by quite a margin.. but the umpiring overall hasn't been much of an issue which is good.